[TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2

A forum for discussion regarding hacking of the Chao system and editing things with non-standard methods.
Warning! This topic is 7 years and 11 months old! Please consider opening a new topic rather that bumping up this very old post.
Post Reply
User avatar
DarkyBenji
Chao Researcher
Chao Researcher
Posts: 527
Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:41 pm
Motto: An Artist that is also a Modder
Location: Darky kindergarten
Contact:

[TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2

Post by DarkyBenji »

Message to admin

i remade the tutorial because the other one is old,
viewtopic.php?f=33&t=45014 you can delete it if you want


alright ! let's started

many people want to know how to import gc chao to pc, and yes i can understand, it's nice to see the old chao back on HD
this tuto will tell you how to import chao to PC

For user that use chao world extended, please disable ALL THE CODE before doing this

all you need it's :
- 1 Wii with homebrew channel (with Memory card port of course)
- 1 memory card NO NINTENDO OFFICIAL
- SA2B GC and PC (or SADX, i guess that work too)
- 1 SD Card format FAT32 or USB FAT32

Programms :
- GCMM (this one is a homebrew for wii)
- Fusion chao edit
- hex edit (Hxd is the best)

1) Copy the GC chao save to SD card :
Spoiler:
first, download the homebrew GC http://wiibrew.org/wiki/GCMM for export the save to sd card
(google it for know how to install homebrew apps)
turn the wi ON and go to homebrew channel, you will see GCMM's here, launch the homebrew and you will see THIS :
Image
press A if you want to export to sd card (or B for USB) but i use SD card so i press A
now you have this
Image
with the wiimote, choose BACKUP by pressing (-) or Y if you the GC controller...
attention, after choose the mode the homebrew will tell you the slot GC you want open (A or B)
after doing that, you see ALL your save but we need to found the chao save and it's SONIC2B_ALF
Image
press A to start backup, and when it's done you got "backup complete"
now leave the homebrew and turn off the wii if you want

insert your sd card/usb in your Computer, you have MCBACKUP folder with your save her, CONGRATULATION ! you have YOUR CHAO GC save !
2) Load your GC save in the PC version
Spoiler:
this one it's EASY, all you need it's a programme HEX EDIT (i use HxD)
with hex edit, open your GC save and PC save (MAKE A backup for PC Save, i swear you need the backup later !)

First, make a backup of your pc save, because you're gonna need it
now you have 2 pc save, 1 that's gonna be your "broken gc save" and the another that is actually your true pc save

open your GC save with Hex edit and copy the line 00000040 to the END
Image

then open your 1st PC save with hex edit (this one is gonna be your "broken gc save") and paste (more like REPLACE) all the code like this
Image


when you are done, launch the game, go to chao world and see if it's work, if yes, you see only the chao garden open, DON'T GO IN, stay in the lobby and open chao fusion editor
Image
look your GC chao are here !

Now EXPORT ALL YOUR CHAO you want to go back to PC (yourchaoname.chao)
3a) Convert the GC CHAO to PC CHAO: With Hex edit
Spoiler:
sadly, The gc chao imported to PC, are "corrupted", the stats is glitchy, the evolution, toys, age, everything is broken
but don't worry ! we can fix it !

first let me explain why the gc chao is broken in the pc version :
the value of pc chao compared to gc chao are reversed, here a example, the chao in the GC version have 1250 on swim, let's do the same for the chao in the PC version
now if we export the gc chao save and pc chao save, the hex value look different !
in GC version : 1250 is 04E2
in PC version : 1250 is E204

so what happen if we put a GC chao to pc with 04E2 ? the stat is broken, the game will show 57860 on swim than 1250
same result if we put a pc chao to gc

basically the value of pc version is a mirror of the value of gc version
04 E2 | E2 04


now you know what you're going to do, "Reverse" the value to make your GC chao work perfectly in the PC version

open one of your chaoname.chao file with Hex edit
then edit all the value that need to be edited, here the table with the line to the left and the value name to the right
Image

the value with 2 bytes (stats, age, happiness,...)are easy to reverse here a example :
before the reverse : my gc chao stats value are : e2 02 , 77 00, b7 00, 0c 01, af 01, 7a 0a, a0 0f
after the reverse : 02 e2, 00 77, 00 b7, 01 0c, 01 af, 0a 7a, 0f a0
see ? it's easy, just change the value position
now my gc chao have the correct stats in the pc version (even int. and luck are correct)

the value with 4 bytes are kinda hard (run/power evolution, Magnitude,...)
Before the reserve : my gc chao Swim/fly value is : 3e 19 99 9a
after the reserve (look closely) : 9a 99 19 3e
and do the other evolution value (run/power, dark/hero (if it's a baby), magnitude)
and now my gc chao have his nice form in pc version !

the animals value are.... 3 bytes... kinda weird but alright !
Before the reserve : my GC chao animal value is : 01 09 0a
after the reserve : 0a 09 01
this one it's kinda easy too if you look closely, you don't need to edit the middle

now my gc chao know the true animal he learn

and by doing the rest (life1, life2, doctor medal, age, toys,...)
my gc chao is complety converted to PC version ! just like your chao (i hope you follow me)
3b) Convert the GC CHAO to PC CHAO: with a Program Tool
Spoiler:
sadly, The gc chao imported to PC, are "corrupted", the stats is glitchy, the evolution, toys, age, everything is broken
but don't worry ! we can fix it !

Thanks to TheGag96, we can convert GC to PC chao easily (can also convert PC to GC) !

Download Chao Convert 1.1 : http://www.mediafire.com/download/5hz5p ... t.v1.1.zip

- Create a folder wherever you want with a name like "ChaoConvert" or whatever you want, so let's say create a folder called "Chao Convert" in the desktop
- in our folder "Chao Convert", extract the tool here and put all your GC .chao file in the folder
Image

- now open ChaoConvert.exe
- wait 0.1 second
- and Done ! all your chao with "_fixed" at the end are converted and ready for the PC version
Image

4) Profit !

once you finish it, load your true PC save (the second one you made by backup) and import all YOUR fixed GC CHAO in your save ! awesome ! your gc chao are not broken ! just like mine ! Congratulations !

F.A.Q :
What's the point if you can only remake ?
-> well remake it's a good idea too, and a simple way, but you will never know what toys your chao have, age, Intel and luck, his dna and more.. so remake your chao don't make you feel that you get your gc chao back

so we can have the official Tails chao from phantasy star online in PC version ? with the Jewel chao ?
-> YES ! awesome right ?

do that fix bright chao ?
-> well no, shiny two-tone chao in gc version will become bright chao, if you use chao world extended you can't import two-tone shiny in black chao mode save, it's something

do i really have to edit/reverse all the value ?
-> not really, you can still let run/power, swim/fly, Dark/hero, and Magnitude value and fix it with fusion edit for example

i don't have a wii hacked, is there another way ?
-> maybe.. you just need to found a way to transfer your GC save into SD card or usb

i used dolphin, how i'm gonna get my gc save ?
-> there a tool in dolphin about "GC memory card" so you can load your memory card file and export your GC save, and do the tutorial

my game say the memory card/save is corrupted, it's still possible to get just my chao gc save ?
-> i'm afraid that GCMM can't read corrupted save... :c but try there's still hope

i import my shiny chao jewel, but with the bright chao glitch, my chao don't look like the GC
-> Don't worry, you see the transparent color in Appearance from Fusion edit ? use it, disable shiny, enable two-tone, and select the color what you chao are in GC :
Shiny Jewel Red : Green yellow
Shiny Jewel Orange : Goldenrod
Shiny Jewel Green : Medium Goldenrod
Shiny Jewel Sky Blue : Pale Goldenrod
Shiny Jewel Blue : Pale Turquoise
Shiny Jewel Purple : Turquoise
Shiny Jewel White : Pale Green
Shiny Jewel Black : Pale Goldenrod (i have not idea for this one, maybe dark gray)
for invisible chao : select invisible 1


or if you chao world extended : enable the code 'Special Breeds' Effect, that will make almost all the shiny jewel chao like the gc version
Last edited by DarkyBenji on Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:10 pm, edited 7 times in total.
Image
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
YoutubeOther ModsDeviantArt Image
User avatar
Rinku
Evolved Chao
Evolved Chao
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:53 am
Motto: I like making friends :3
Location: California/USA
Contact:

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by Rinku »

This is awesome, my dreams are pretty much coming true. The only thing that I might add (if even possible) is a program to do steps 2 and 3 for you, (maybe an addition to fusion's editor?) as it would be nice for multiple chao or people confused by hex editing.

Is it possible to send extreme evolution chao (more then 1000 in the second evolution on fusion's editor) and/or special texture chao to the gc by the reverse process?
Rinku's personal Discord - http://rinkutalks.pro/image/dcover.png
🔥 Twitch Livestream - http://www.twitch.tv/rinkutalks (◡‿◡✿)
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ Twitter - https://twitter.com/RinkuTalks
User avatar
DarkyBenji
Chao Researcher
Chao Researcher
Posts: 527
Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:41 pm
Motto: An Artist that is also a Modder
Location: Darky kindergarten
Contact:

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by DarkyBenji »

Rinku wrote:This is awesome, my dreams are pretty much coming true. The only thing that I might add (if even possible) is a program to do steps 2 and 3 for you, (maybe an addition to fusion's editor?) as it would be nice for multiple chao or people confused by hex editing.

Is it possible to send extreme evolution chao (more then 1000 in the second evolution on fusion's editor) and/or special texture chao to the gc by the reverse process?
idk if it's actually possible to send pc chao to gc, because fusion chao edit don't detect Sonic adventure 2 Gamecube version so you can't export/import chao
but if there a way, yes it's possible to send texture chao and extreme evolution of pc to the gc version

but you have action replay for that too, to make chao on texture you want, but the only problem is the DNA
Image
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
YoutubeOther ModsDeviantArt Image
User avatar
Emerald Lance
Adult Chao
Adult Chao
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 1:12 am
Location: Awesome Land

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by Emerald Lance »

Rinku wrote:This is awesome, my dreams are pretty much coming true. The only thing that I might add (if even possible) is a program to do steps 2 and 3 for you, (maybe an addition to fusion's editor?) as it would be nice for multiple chao or people confused by hex editing.

Is it possible to send extreme evolution chao (more then 1000 in the second evolution on fusion's editor) and/or special texture chao to the gc by the reverse process?
I don't see why not. You you will have to account for the endian byte order. In other words, you will still have to reverse the information. For anybody that feels like familiarizing themselves with the difference endians to make this easier, GCN version is big endian while PC version is little endian. It's more complex than this, but basically big endian counts in bytes (two digits) from 0 to 9 like 01 23 45 67 89, while little endian counts like 89 67 45 23 01. What that means is that the decimal version of 100000 converted into big endian (ie regular hex) ends up as 00 01 86 A0 but when converted from that into little endian you get A0 86 01 00. Basically, little endian counts backwards in bytes. With that in mind and a hex calculator in hand, moving from the PC to the GCN shouldn't be a problem, so long as you keep the header and footer of the GCN file.

And yes, assuming it's possible to send PC chao to a GCN save file, it would also be possible to have extreme evolutions. The only reason we've never seen it on the GCN version until now is because GCN only had the Action Replay as far as cheat devices go, and the codes for AR devices are heavily encoded so that Datel can be the only group that makes the codes; very few people can create the AR codes outside of Datel, so I guess maybe nobody thought it would be worth making a code for. But I assure you, there's nothing stopping extreme evolutions on GCN being a thing except the possibility of incompatibility with the files themselves; if the GCN version accepts the PC data, you'll see your extreme evolutions! ;)

EDIT: Just to make sure it's clear, single byte (XX) aren't affected by endian byte order. In other words, 100 in hex is 64 in hex, and it's that number regardless of big or little endian. I figure that goes without saying, and endian orders count in full bytes, but I just wanted to make sure to point it out just in case. I'd hate for somebody to get a good way into the process and get stumped on that. ^-^;
SaiyanPrince302, commenting on how to become a Super Saiyan, wrote:"I know where these guys are going, but in all seriousness, just trying to imagine loved ones being killed almost never works. Be a man and travel into space and shoot at asteroids until you get yourself in an actual life threatening situation."
--Gamefaqs.com
User avatar
Rinku
Evolved Chao
Evolved Chao
Posts: 70
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:53 am
Motto: I like making friends :3
Location: California/USA
Contact:

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by Rinku »

OK guys so I have found out YOU CAN MOVE PC CHAO TO GC. I have tested the reverse process and officially got my chao with a hacked texture into my gc by this guide. This is truly outstanding and means our pc chao can be transferred to either our dolphin emulator or gc for a game without bright chao, and from the gc to gameboy. That is crazy, all our old chao and all our new chao can be interchanged to any console we want to play.

The next question is can someone make this into a easy to use program (I would love to try and make one if I knew how). Also will being able to hex edit gc data help us do anything cool in any way?
Rinku's personal Discord - http://rinkutalks.pro/image/dcover.png
🔥 Twitch Livestream - http://www.twitch.tv/rinkutalks (◡‿◡✿)
(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ Twitter - https://twitter.com/RinkuTalks
User avatar
DarkyBenji
Chao Researcher
Chao Researcher
Posts: 527
Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:41 pm
Motto: An Artist that is also a Modder
Location: Darky kindergarten
Contact:

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by DarkyBenji »

Rinku wrote:OK guys so I have found out YOU CAN MOVE PC CHAO TO GC. I have tested the reverse process and officially got my chao with a hacked texture into my gc by this guide. This is truly outstanding and means our pc chao can be transferred to either our dolphin emulator or gc for a game without bright chao, and from the gc to gameboy. That is crazy, all our old chao and all our new chao can be interchanged to any console we want to play.
If you did what i thinks... good job

you actually edit a pc chao or/and export a pc chao with fusion edit then convert to gc chao and import to the broken gc save (aka step 3 backward) and make your broken gc save on gc save so your gc can read (aka step 2 backward)

Then import your new gc save in the memory card (aka step 1 backward)

Nice, i was thinking about that yesterday

But i'm actually working in chaoworld save so you can convert your full gc save into pc save so you import your chao in pc but also your fruits, toys garden, gardens, score and all

And for the moment i got nothing
Image
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
YoutubeOther ModsDeviantArt Image
CasualCollision
Expert Chaos Chao
Expert Chaos Chao
Posts: 4131
Joined: Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:16 pm
Motto: The War Against Roaches is over...
Location: Where the heart is.

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by CasualCollision »

Great tutorial! I was able to import one of my Jewel Chao thanks to you. Although for some reason, when I imported one of my child chao, its alignment was set to default and was neutral instead of hero. I think I followed the tutorial from beginning to end, and I'm positive that I edited all the hex values correctly (I checked back and forth between the GC chao file and the edited PC chao file several times just to make sure). What could be the problem?
User avatar
DarkyBenji
Chao Researcher
Chao Researcher
Posts: 527
Joined: Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:41 pm
Motto: An Artist that is also a Modder
Location: Darky kindergarten
Contact:

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by DarkyBenji »

CasualCollision wrote:Great tutorial! I was able to import one of my Jewel Chao thanks to you. Although for some reason, when I imported one of my child chao, its alignment was set to default and was neutral instead of hero. I think I followed the tutorial from beginning to end, and I'm positive that I edited all the hex values correctly (I checked back and forth between the GC chao file and the edited PC chao file several times just to make sure). What could be the problem?
idk, but take that note that the tutorial can be a little updated if i found other value to convert for better result

some chao people reincarn after be imported in the pc version for unknow reason (not all, i say SOME chao)
so i continue to search
Image
───────────────────────────────────────────────────
YoutubeOther ModsDeviantArt Image
User avatar
GravityGames
Newborn Chao
Newborn Chao
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:50 pm
Motto: That one guy that raises Chao in SADX

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by GravityGames »

Thanks for the tutorial, I was a bit worried I'd have to attempt this process blindly. I hope this will also work for transfering chao from the SADX GC garden to the SADX PC Garden and vice versa, but I can always do a quick transfer of my chao over to SA2B if it doesn't.
Rinku wrote:The next question is can someone make this into a easy to use program (I would love to try and make one if I knew how).
Eh, doesn't seem like it would be too awfully hard. I could try giving it a shot later.
User avatar
DarkFlyFlyChao
Child Chao
Child Chao
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 5:56 pm
Motto: I'll be your satellite!
Location: Luxembourg, Central Europe
Contact:

Re: [TUTO] How to import GC chao to PC v2 : With HEX EDIT

Post by DarkFlyFlyChao »

Very interesting! :darksurprise:
Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image Image
Image My Chao series http://bit.ly/1Y19722 Image
Post Reply